(a) Except as hereinafter provided, no person who is a resident of this State shall, after the effective date of this Act, operate any snowmobile within this State unless such snowmobile has been registered and numbered in accordance with the provisions of this Article, and unless the certificate of number awarded to such snowmobile is in full force and effect. A person who is not a resident of this State and who operates a snowmobile within this State may register that snowmobile in this State, but in the event that he or she does not, and he or she is not otherwise exempt under subsection (c) of Section 3-12 of this Article, he or she must obtain and display a trail use sticker in accordance with Section 3-12 of this Article.
     (b) A person convicted of violating this Section is guilty of a petty offense.